Combined puppet and doll



De@. 3%, 1947. G, HULSE COMBINED PUPPET AND DOLL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1944 INVENTOR. 'MARION G. HULSE ATTOR i1 Dec. 30, 1947. M. G. HULSE COMBINED PUPPET AND DOLL I 3 Sheets-.-She et 2 Filed Dec. 19, 1944 INVENTOR. MARION G. HULSE Dec. 30, 1947.

M. G. HULSE COMBLNED PUPPET AND DOLL Fild Dec'. 19, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. MARION q. HULSE '7 Amman Y- Patented Dec. 30, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHQ COMBINED, PUPPET AND DOLL Marion G. Hulse, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application December 19, 1944, Serial No. 568,841

8 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a combined puppet and doll, and has for its object to provide a unitary puppet member held together by a fabric garment united with head, hands and feet, in combination with a body member formed with stiffening portions adapted to be inserted into tubes connected with the head, hands and feet so that the puppet can be conveniently metamorphosed into a doll and vice Versa.

A puppet, as 18 well known, usually consists of some kind of a garment to which hands, head and weighted feet are attached with an opening for insertion of the hand to operate the hands and head of the puppet. Such an article, taken in its entirety, is not adapted to be employed as a doll.

I have discovered that by connecting the head, the hands and the feet to tubular members of some considerable extent and forming a body member with stiffened portions adapted to be inserted in the tubular members, a puppet may be metamorphosed into a very acceptable doll. The opening for inserting the hand will prefer ably be in the back of the puppet garment and provides also the opening for inserting the body. This opening will in practice be subject to closure by buttons, snaps or a zipper (not shown) as may be desired, so when the toy is used as a doll the removable body will be effectively concealed.

It is within the scope of my invention to apply to the puppet different types of head, hands and feet and also to form the puppet garment in different Ways, as for example, to develop from the garment and the enclosed body an animal such as an elephant, a cat or the like.

It is a principal object of my invention, therefore, to provide a united puppet garment to which are appropriately attached at the several extremities, head, hands and feet and to form said head, hands and feet with tubular members of some considerable length which extend Within and are concealed by the puppet garment.

It is a further object of my invention to form the united puppet garment completely of fabric material, except as to the head, the hands and the feet thereof, and to form said head, hands and feet of plastic material molded about and thus rigidly connected with stiffening tubular members and with fabric inner and outer coverings of said tubular members, whereby said tubular members become rigidly and permanently attached to the hardened plastic head, hands and feet.

It is a further object of my invention to unite the puppet garment to the head, the hands and the feet, either permanently by sewing the margin-s of the neck, sleeves and legs to the fabric surrounding the stiffening tubular members, or by tying the neck, the arms and the legs of the garment to the tubular members, so other forms of head. hands and feet may be applied to the puppet garment.

It is a further object of my invention to form the puppet garment with an opening down the back through which the hand may be inserted to seatthe fingers thereof in the tubes of the head and the hands, thereby to produce the movements and genuflections of a puppet.

It is a further object of my invention to providea body member adapted to be inserted in the puppet garment through the opening in the back thereof which shall have stiffened projecting members, to wit, a neck stiffening member embedded in the body itself, stiffening arm members each extending freely from a sewed joint with the body member, and stiffening leg members each extendingfreely from a sewed joint with the body member, the several stiffening members being adapted to be inserted in the tube extensions from head, hands and feet to provide a complete doll.

'It is a further object of my invention to have the removable characteristics of the body member concealed in the puppet garment when the body member has been introduced therein to produce a doll, and to accomplish this the back opening through which the body member is insorted into the puppet garment will, after such insertion, be closed in such manner as to conceal the fact that there is such an opening.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof, and the novel features by which the advantageous results in use of the invention are brought about will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating an application of my invention in one of its forms:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of the puppet garment with attached head, hands and feet, having the enclosed body making up a complete doll.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view across the arm taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4; is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1

3 viewed in the direction of the arrows through the neck of the doll with the neck rufi eliminated.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the body member removed from the puppet garment with parts broken away to show the stiffening members in the arms, legs and neck, and their relation to the body proper.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken through the body member and the arms alongline 55 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken longitudinally along one of the legs of the doll on the line 1-1 of Fi 1.

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation view of the puppet garment and attached head, arms and feet, showing one way that the hand may be inserted through the back opening of the garment for controlling movements of the head and the hands.

Fig.9 is a fragmentary view showing a method of uniting the head with the puppet garment so that it may readily be removed.

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing how the lower leg of the puppet garment is united with a foot member, broken away in part to indicate the ridge member, which, with the tie about the cloth of the garment, holds the garment and foot member together.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10, with a similar broken away portion applied to a hand.

As illustrated, there is provided a puppet garment indicated gene. ally by the numeral l2, which is shown in front view by Fig. 1 and in rear view by Fig. 8. The puppet garment comprises a body portion [3 which extends upwardly in a neck portion [4, Fig. 8, surrounded by a neck rufi l5, Figs. 1 and 8. The head It is secured to the garment at the neck part I l by having cloth surrounding the neck stem sewed directly to the neck portion of the garment, as indicated at H.

Lateral extensions [8 and IQ of the body part i3 are gathered together to form ruflles and 2| formed about inwardly-extending shanks (hereinafter described) of hand members 22 and 23 and are sewed to the cloth of the arm shanks, as indicated at 24 and 25.

The puppet garment has leg extensions 26 and 21 extending downwardly from the body part l3 of the garment and these extensions are sewed at 28 and 29 to the covering of feet members 30 and 31, as indicated at Figs. 1, '7 and 8. I

The head IS, the hands 22 and 23, and the feet 39 and 3| are thus permanently attached to the neck and extremities of the sleeve and leg portions of the puppet garment. The head l6 has secured thereto a tubular support member 32 which is rigidly connected with the head and is provided with a cloth covering inside and out. This is clearly shown in Fig. 8 and in detail in the enlarged section of Fig. 4, wherein the tube 32, of cardboard or other semi-rigid material, has an outer cloth covering 33 and an inner cloth covering 34.

Similarly each arm or hand 22 and 23 is provided with a tube35, Fig. 8, which is firmly connected with the hands 22 and 23. In cross-section this tube 35 is shown in Fig. 2 as having a cloth cover 36 on the inside and a cloth cover 3! on the outside. Likewise, each foot 30 and Si is provided with a tube 38 which is rigidly connected to the foot portion and which is shown in detail in Fig. 3 as having a cloth cover 33 on the outside and a cloth cover 45 on the inside of the tube 38. In the sectional views of Figs. 2,3 and 4, the arm structure of the puppet garment is indicated at M of Fig. 2, the leg structure of the puppet garment is indicated at 42, Fig, 3, and the neck structure of the puppet garment is indicated at 43 of Fi 4.

As shown in Figs. 9, l0 and 11, a difierent method of uniting the head, the hands and the feet is employed. Thus, in Fig. 9, a cord 44 goes under a series of thread loops 45 and may be tied with a bow or other form of knotting 46 to hold the head to the neck part I! of the puppet garment i2.

Similarly, in Fig. 10 is shown a cord 41 which runs under thread loops 48 and is closed by a bow or other knot 59 about the leg portions 26 (or 21).

The hand parts 23 (and 22) as shown in Fig, 11, are held to the sleeve portion 18 of the puppet garment i2 by means of a cord 50 passing under thread loops 5! and tied with a bow or other form of knot 52.

In all of the forms of ties indicated in Figs. 9, l0 and 11, a ridge 53 is formed on each and every one of the respective tubes 32, 35 and 38, to prevent slipping off of the tied ring of cloth,

The back of the puppet garment i2 is provided with an openin indicated in spread position at 59', and in overlapping position by dotted lines at 5i, of Fig. 8. This opening readily permits the insertion of the hand for manipulation of the head and arms of the puppet, as indicated in Fig. 8, and also will be large enough to permit insertion of the body member to make the puppet into a doll. In practice, some means will be provided for closing the opening when the device is used as a doll, such for example as a zipper (not shown).

The body member for insertion within the puppet garment 112 comprises a main body portion 54, Fig. 5. Within this body portion is seated and anchored in the stufling therein a stiffening tube 55, which extends outwardly into a body extension 56.

Likewise, fabric arm members 51 and 58 are sewed at 59 along a line to hinge them to shoulder parts 59 and 6| of the body portion 53, and within the extensions 51 and 58 and surrounded by stufiing 68 therein, and held positioned by the stuffing, are stiffening tubes 62 which are buried and held in position in the arm extensions 51 and 58.

Hingedly connected at 63 and 64 to the lower part of the body portion 54 by means of sewing, as indicated, are leg extensions 65 and 56, in which are buried stiffening members 61, identically the same in each leg extension member and, like the stiffening neck member 55 and arm member 52, being preferably formed of cylinders of cardboard.

The leg stifieners 81 are likewise embedded in stufiing 68, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The stuffing is alsoindicated by the numeral 68 in all other parts of the body member and will in practice consist of some material such as cotton batting which can be readily made to conform to the shape and characteristics of the various parts of the body member.

The diiierent parts making up the fully assembled doll member are shown in enlarged and exaggerated transverse section in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Within the neck tube assemblage made up of the central stiffening tube 32 and the cloth covering 33 and 34, and inside of the inner covering 35, is a layer of filler material 69, illustrated purely diagrammatically in Fig. 4:, which may be of any desired type for the purpose of causing the fingers when the device is used as a puppet to be held sufiiciently tight within the tube 32 not to readily slip out. This filler material is, therefore, a part of the permanent tube 32.

The neck member will include the inner stiffening tube 55, the stufiing material 68 around it, and the fabric covering it. It is, therefore, the fabric covering l which is wedged into the neck tube 32 for holding the neck extension 56 of the body firmly connected with the head member l8.

Referring to Fig. 2, within the stiffening member 35 and its cloth coverings 35 and 3? is a filler layer H, indicated diagrammatically, which is adapted to hold the hand upon a finger or thumb, the arrangement being the same for both puppet hand members 22 and 23. The inner stiffening tube 62 and stuffing material 68 are shown with the cloth 12 forming the arm extension 51 inserted within the filler member H to hold the body arm portions 5? and 58 united with the hand portions 22 and 23.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 7, for connection with the feet 39 and 3| the stifiening tube 38 and layers of fabric 39 and so may be provided with a filler layer 13, Fig. 3, which is permanently attached to the leg tube structure 38. Tube 38 envelops the cloth covering M overlying the stiffening tube 61 and surrounding stufiing 68. The filler layer is not essential in the leg structure since ordinarily the fingers will not be applied thereto, for which reason I have shown in Fig. 7 the structure longitudinally outlined without any filler layer.

It will be noted that the permanent attachment of the head, hands and feet to the tubular members 32, 35 and 38 is well shown in Fig. 7. The head, hands and feet are made of plastic material and the tube 38 with its covering fabric 39 and 40, is inserted into a groove 15 in the plastic material of the head, hands and feet and the plastic material is drawn over the fabric as indicated at 16, Fig. 7, and in that manner when the plastic material sets, the tube is firmly united therewith,

The advantages of my invention will have sufficiently appeared from the foregoing detailed specification. These advantages are, first, in the provision of a puppet having head, hands and feet formed of plastic material, all provided with tubular supporting means rigidly connected with the head, hands and feet and united with a puppet garment by stitching, by ties, or similar means, so as to give the effect of a complete unitary dressed puppet member.

Second by providing a back opening which at the same time will be of a sufiicient size to admit the hand for manipulation of the head and limbs of the puppet and which will admit a body portion to transform the pup-pet into a doll.

Third, in the provision of a body member having attached arm and leg portions with stiffening cores and a neck portion haVing a stiffening core firmly united with the body portion, which latter may be inserted through the back opening with the neck, arm and leg portions adapted to be inserted into the tubular extensions of the head, arms and legs to produce a complete doll structure.

While I have shown the complete puppet structure with attached head, hands and feet made from plastic material which are connected with tubes and permanently attached to the puppet garment by stitching or removably attached by ties, I do not wish to be limited to the use of plastic members for the head, hands and feet, as such members within the scope of my invention can be formed of a fabric covering of suitable shape with stuffing therein. Also I do not wish to be limited to the use of tubular members permanently attached to the head, hands and feet in the puppet garment which is used to combine with a body member introduced therein to make a doll, since my invention may also apply to finger pieces which are made of fabric.

The advantages of my invention may be summed up as the provision in one toy of an effective puppet construction and also a doll construction, the toy being adapted to operate in either capacity.

I claim:

1. A puppet doll construction, comprising a complete garment having a head, two hands and two feet attached thereto, each having a tubular member strongly and permanently connected with the head, the hands and the feet respectively, said garment having n opening, and a body member adapted to be inserted and withdrawn through said opening, said body member having parts adapted to seat in the tubular members to unite the body member with the head, the hands and the feet thereof.

2. A puppet doll construction, comprising a complete garment having a head, two hands and two feet attached thereto, each having a tubular member strongly and permanently connected with the head, the hands and the feet respectively, said garment having an opening, and a body member adapted to be inserted and withdrawn through said opening, said body member having substantially rigid projecting portions adapted to seat in the respective tubular members to unite the body member with the head, the hands and the feet thereof.

3. A puppet doll construction, comprising a complete garment having a head, two hands and two feet attached thereto, each having a tubular member strongly and permanently connected therewith, said garment having an opening, and a body member adapted to be inserted and withdrawn through said opening, said body member comprising neck, leg and arm projections with stiffening material and stiffening means in each thereof, said projections adapted to seat in the tubular members to unite the body member with the head, the hands and the feet attached to the garment.

4. A puppet doll construction, comprising a complete garment having a head, two hands and two feet attached thereto, each having a tubular member rigidly and permanently connected with the head, the hands and the feet respectively, said garment having an opening, and a body member adapted to be inserted and withdrawn through said opening, said body member comprising a central or torso part formed of cloth with stuffing therein to give it shape, and a neck extension having therein a stiffening member surrounded by the stufiing and adapted to unite with the tube of the head member to hold the head in position on the body of the doll.

5. A puppet doll construction, comprising a complete garment having a head, two hands and two feet attached thereto, each having a tubular member rigidly and permanently connected with the head, the hands and the feet respectively, said garment having an opening, a, body member adapted to be inserted and withdrawn through said opening, said body member comprising a central or torso part formed of cloth with stuffing therein :to give it shape, and a pair of arm extensions hingedly connected to the upper part of said torso part, each of said arm ex- 7 tensions having therein a stifiening member surrounded by the stufling and adapted to unite respectively with the corresponding tubes of the hand members to hold the hands in swinging position on the body of the doll.

6; A puppet doll construction, comprising a complete garment having a, head, two hands and two feet attached thereto,v each having a tubular member rigidly and permanently connected with the head, the hands andthe feet respectively, said garment havingan opening, a body member adapted to be inserted and Withdrawn through said opening, said body member comprising a central or torso part formed of cloth with'stuffing therein to give it shapeiand a pair of leg extensions hingedly connected to the torso'part, each of said extensions having a stiffening member surrounded by the stuffing and adapted to unite with the respective tubes of the foot members to hold the feet in position on the body of the doll.

7. A puppet doll construction, comprising a complete garment having a head, two hands and two feet attached thereto, each having a tubular member rigidly and permanently connected with the head, the hands and the feet respectively, said garment having an opening, a body member adapted to be inserted and withdrawn through said opening, said bodymember comprising a central or torso part formed of cloth with stuffing therein to give it shape, a neck extension having therein a stiffening member surrounded by the stufiing and adapted to unite with the tube of the head member, a pair of arm extensions hingedly connected to the upper part of said torso part, each of said arm extensions having therein a stiffening member surrounded by the stuffing and adapted to unite respectively with the corresponding tubes of the hand member, and a pair of leg extensions having a stiifening member sur-- rounded by the stufiing and adapted .to unite with the respective tubes of the foot members, all operating to hold the head, the hands and the feet in position on the body of the doll.

8. A puppet doll, comprising a, puppet garment having tubular extensions for arms and legs formed of the fabric of the garment, a head attached to the upper part of the garment having a stiff tubular member extending downwardly therefrom, said garment being provided with an opening, a body member adapted to b'einserted through said opening into the puppet garment, said body member having a central torso part and projecting arm and leg parts filled with stuffingto hold them extended with a degree of firmness, and having a part for union with the head of the puppet garment. MARION G. HULSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

